Holes in the Floor of Heaven
by SereneDolphin
Summary: After four months of battling leukemia, Serenity is now about to die. Can anyone keep Kaiba from doing something drastic? SetoSerenity, one-shot. I will make a prequel if you guys like it enough!


Hi everybody! This was stuck in my head, so I had to get it out. To tell you the truth, I hate one-shots, but I've read a couple of good ones lately (like the one by TrickyMidnightDreamer) and it inspired me to try one myself. Hope you guys enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, nor Steve Wariner's song "Holes in the Floor of Heaven," which this fic is not really based off of, but contains the concepts of the song (and I borrowed the title!)

--Holes in the Floor of Heaven—

A slight beep-beep-beep rang through the air. Seto Kaiba watched the machine, watched the green little blips run across the screen. Beep-beep-beep. It was the most annoying sound to him, and yet right now, it was the most important sound. He did not want it to stop.

The machine had wires running out of it, and the wires were attached to a chest, Serenity Wheeler's to be exact. His eyes concentrated on her, making sure her chest rose and fell. It did, in an irregular fashion, and Kaiba's fists were clenched. '_She shouldn't be this way. It shouldn't have to be so hard to breathe . . .'_

The pain started four months ago, when the call came. The four months following that call were hell. Kaiba thought he knew hell. His stepfather wrenched away the last of his childhood, his innocence. But he had a goal, his dreams were still attainable, and his foe was defeatable. But yet his life was cold. He lived in a dog-eat-dog world, and he thrived in the game. However, it never filled him up, never filled the hole where his heart was located.

Then came Serenity.

There were no outstanding features. She was pretty, oh yes, but not eye catching. She was intelligent, but by no means a genius. Serenity was pretty thin and small, as if she was never properly fed. She was poorer than most, but extremely nice. All these qualities never made Kaiba look her way, until one day. The fateful day in which their Home Ec. Teacher assigned the semester-long project. She assigned them as partners. That semester was filled with trials, arguments, and annoyances. It was the longest semester in his life. But little by little, she seemed less annoying, and more and more beautiful. Before he knew it, he was head over heels in love. The happiest moment was when she broke down and confessed her feelings to him. Kaiba could still feel her lips on his, the tingling feeling that ran down his spine. He wondered how he would have felt then if he knew that their first kiss might have been their last. His moment of bliss was short-lived.

The very next day, Serenity was in the hospital, and he cursed the time when he first heard what put her there. Acute lymphatic leukemia. And now Kaiba knew what hell was. Hell was watching your first love slowly deteriorating right before your eyes. Hell was watching the doctors try one round of chemotherapy after another, and shouting at each other when nothing worked. Hell was Serenity trying to assure you that she was all right while she was wincing with pain. Hell was knowing that you couldn't just beat the damn leukemia with your fists. Eventually they had to put her in a sterilized intensive care room. Hell was not being able to touch the love of your life because you might kill her from the germs on your hand.

There Seto was, sitting in his plastic garb the doctors made him wear, watching Serenity breathe with much labor. It had been silent for hours, so Kaiba jumped when Serenity spoke.

"Seto?" said her small, weak voice.

"Serenity? I'm right here."

"Seto, I want you to know that I love you, and I wish we had more time together-"

"Serenity, don't talk like that-"

"Promise you'll come for me?"

"I promise Serenity." Serenity smiled faintly. Kaiba started to rush, knowing her time was up. "I just want you to know-" But it was too late.

-Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Joey Wheeler entered the hospital. The receptionist looked up, but recognizing the blond, handsome man, she simply let him pass to the fifth floor. Joey's feet sagged. Match that with the bags under his eyes, and you could guess that he lost a lot of sleep.

When he reached the fifth floor waiting room, a doctor was waiting for him. _'Dat's weird,' _thought Joey. He approached the doctor.

"Anythin wrong, doc?"

'I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, Mr. Wheeler, but Serenity has passed away just a few moments ago."

Joey's head reeled. _'She's gone? No, sh – she – she can't! An' ah wasn'_ _dere!'_ "She was all alone when she died?" He voiced his fears out loud.

"No, Mr. Kaiba was there until the end."

"Kaiba?"

At that moment, Kaiba entered the waiting room. The doctor and Joey were struck dumb at the zombie-like way he moved. Kaiba finally reached a payphone, which he clutched as if holding on for dear life. Standing seemed to be too much for him, and he slowly sank to his knees. Joey watched in shock as he witnessed the great Seto Kaiba, who was arrogant, and cared for nobody else, colder than a blizzard and supposedly have an iron heart, down on all fours, crying so hard that two small puddles of tears appeared on the blue carpet.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The next few days were a blur. Kaiba didn't even attend the funeral, although he was asked to speak in it. He heard that Joey delivered a beautiful and moving eulogy. He didn't understand how Joey could make it, how he survived. After arriving from the hospital, Kaiba shut himself inside his mansion, and with an aching heart, contemplated on what to do now. And now he had made a decision.

Kaiba opened a drawer, took out a dagger, sheathed it, and pocketed it. Then he left the house, out to the gardens behind the mansion, where beautiful flower gardens dotted the backyard. He picked a lovely assortment of roses and carnations. Then he proceeded to walk to the Domino cemetery.

A slow breeze was blowing at the top of a hill where Serenity's grave was located. Kaiba knelt down, and placed his bouquet next to the tombstone with the many flowers all ready there. Kaiba was glad that many people remembered her, but knew that nobody, with the exception of perhaps Joey, missed her like he did. Kaiba then pulled out the knife. "I'm coming for you," he whispered, holding the dagger right above his heart.

"Ya're not goin ta fin' her dat way," said a heavy accent behind him.

Kaiba whirled around. "What do you know, Wheeler?" he demanded, dagger still in hand.

"Las' time ah checked, Seren's up in heaven, and committin suicide's not da way ta get dere." Joey waited, but Kaiba did not move. "All righ', fancy pants, jus' heah me out. If ya wanna kill yaself afta dat, den so be it. Only, drop dat dagga, I don' talk ta people wit knives." Joey watched with satisfaction as Kaiba complied, and then he sat down next to the millionaire.

"Fo' da longest time, ah thought ya was a stuck-up, rich bratty kid, an' arrogant an' selfish too. Ah always thought dere was no hope fo' ya. Seren proved me wrong. Ya loved her didn' ya?"

Seto was never the confiding sort, but he felt himself talking anyway. "I loved her more than life itself. I thought my life was complete, until I fell for her. Then I realized how much I was missing."

"Did she luv ya back?"

'Those were some of her last words to me. 'I love you, Seto.' I'll never forget those words."

"Yeah, she hadda way wit words. Impressive vocabulary. Ah use ta remember her yellin her head off at me, an' ah tole her ah didn' know wha' ah did wrong, cuz ah couldn' undastand her!" Joey chuckled in spite of himself. Before he knew it, Kaiba was standing up and holding Joey by the collar, screaming his head off.

"HOW CAN YOU LAUGH?! YOUR SISTER IS DEAD! HOW CAN YOU FORGET THAT SO EASILY?! I KNEW YOU WERE DENSE, BUT TO BE SO FUCKIN CARELESS AS TO FORGET YOUR SISTER!"

"KAIBA! Ah di' not faget (forget) Serenity! Ya need ta let go!"

"How can I let go, Joey?! That pretty face is going to haunt me for the rest of my life!"

"No, ah mean ya need ta let me go!" Kaiba, after glaring at him, let him down roughly.

"All righ' now, sit down, dere's somedin ah gotta tell ya." Kaiba complied again, although the glare didn't let up. Joey decided to push ahead. "When ma gramps died, it was ma eighth birthday, an it was rainin, an' all. Ah was sad as hell, but ma granma said something. She sai' 'You know, Joey, there's holes in the floor of heaven.' See, Kaiba, jus' because we can' see here, don' mean she can' see us. Then granma sai' 'Joey, you want to know why it's raining? It's your grandpa. He's crying, because all he wants to do is be with you.' Rememba, da day of da funeral? Afta it was ova, it started rainin. An' then ah knew dat she was still watchin ova me, wishin she could be wit me. An if she's watchin, ah'd rather her see a happy, successful Joey, dan a depressed, dejected Joey. Ah jus' think dat Seren would ratha see ya move on wit ya life dan see ya kill yourself ova her, if she luves ya like ya said. Afta all, she made a differen' in your life, see if ya can make a differen' in someone else's."

Joey then left, because he had to go visit Tristan. However, when he looked back, though Kaiba was still sitting, apparently deep in thought, Joey smiled when he was Kaiba sheath the dagger, and pocketed it for the last time.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

One year later 

The mayor smiled. The Domino hospital picnic was a big success. Half the town showed up. "On behalf of the Domino hospital, I would like to thank Seto Kaiba for donating ten million dollars to the new cancer research wing!"

The round of applause was suddenly turned into screams as a soaking rain suddenly fell from the gray, overcast clouds. Everyone ran, except for Seto. He stood his ground, looking up to the sky, each rain drop a kiss of tears on his cheek. "Don't worry, Serenity. I still remember my promise. After all, I'm a man of my word." He looked into the horizon. Sure enough, a small hole appeared, in which a small ray of sun streamed though.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

So, how'd you guys like? Good? Horrible? This is my first one-shot, but I don't plan to write anymore, unless an idea turns up. Anyway, if you like, I can make a prequel to this story, but only if you guys really want it. I look forward to any reviews, and I hope you guys enjoy.


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